Cargo carrier for aircraft



Sept. 22,'l 1931. c. H. .JAcoBs E1' AL 1,824,550

CARGO QARRIER FQR'IRCRAFT original Filed sept. 10, 192s 4 sheets-sheet 1 www,

Sept. 22, 1931.

c. H. JAcQBs ETAL 1,824,550

CARGO GARRIER FonAIRbRAFT original Filed sept.` 10, 192s 4 sneets-sneet 2 c/mcs awr/Naro .Mapas 46,4 Foa-rse ,swears/mese Sept. 22,4 1931.

c. H. JACOBS ET AL 1,824,550

CARGO CARRIER FOR AIRCRAFT Original Filed Sept. l0, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gnwtow cfm/@L55 mmm/Vero nass atfoznu,

sept. 22, 1931.

C. H. JACOBS ET AL CARGO CARRIER FORAIRCRAFT Original Filed Sept. l0, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet, 4

Patented Sept. 22, 193i meterme ATENTy-Omc CHARLEs HUNTINGTON JACOBS, Vor ySAN 'rRANCrsCdAND ASA r. HARSHBARGER, or' OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 1 l CARGo CARRIER FoR AIRCRAFT v Original application filed September 10, 192,5, Seri ,l kDecember 26, 1929.

The invention relates to a cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft.

The object of the invention is to provide a cargo carrier of 4a construction suitable to receive mail, merchandise, oil, or other matter to be transported by aircraft, adapted to be `automatically engaged by a part of the aircraftwhile it is inv motion and carried into the fuselage thereof.

This cargo carrier is: especially adapted for cooperation with a loading 'attachment for airplanes yof.v novel construction, disclosed in our application Serial No. 55,504, filed Sept. 10, 1925, of which thisA application is a division, although it maybe usefulin other relations. y v

TheV invention consists in the features hereinafter described andclaimed, and illusf trated in the annexed drawings, in which, Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticside elevation of an airplane equipped with the loading de-v vice forming the subject-matter of our par. ent application, and our cargo carrier supported forV engagement-thereby. j Fig. 2 is a top plan lof the. front portion of thetrackof the loadingv deviceshown in Fig. 1, about to ,engage the lcargo lcarrier of our invention; i Y

Fig. 3 is aside velcvationof-they cargo carrier; Y f j .1 Fig. 4 is a cross-section thereof -on line 4-4ofFig.5; x Fig. 5 is a topplan view of the carrier, partly in section, to show-more clearly one of the wings thereof; ,K v

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through thegcarrieron. line 6-f61of Fig. 5; y

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the latch for'loclring Jdie cover of the cargo carrier;-and l v Fig. 8 is a `detail `sectional view yshowing the latch for holding the supporting arms of the cargo carrier in their folded position. Referring tok the drawingspin detail, ian Vairplane 1, having alanding gear 2, is provided with an opening Sfatthe bottom of the fuselage nearits-rear end, closedpby a trap door 4. Axles 5.of the llanding gear arregsupported from the. fuselage by suitable braces 6.' Afsuitable conveyor or 'track is a1 No. 55,504. Divided and. this appIication tiled Serial N0. 416,630.

provided, which may consist of two ,railsl secured to the lower part of the fuselage and extendingfroin a point slightly in front of the axles of the landing gear rearwardly and upwardly through the opening 3 in the fuselage. The rear ends of the rails are formed into a loop or rams horn inside the fuselage, as:shown at 8. The rails are suitably braced'by members 9. l

The `construction above no part out merely to show the construction with which the cargo carrier forming the subjectmatter of this application is especially adapted tojcooperate.

described forms The cargo carrier will now be described.`

The cargo carrier consists of a light metallic shell 10 of general egg-shape. Its outer surface is substantially smooth, except as hereinafter stated, and it is braced inside kby suitable longitudinaly and transverse braces 11 forming a ycylindrical skeleton framework `to provide necessary strength. The carrier has an opening in by` a cover plate 12.` "A flange 13 surrounds this opening upon hich is secured a suite able gasket 14. To the margins of the cover plate and depending therefrom is secured a frame 15- which. rests on the gasket 14 around the margin of the opening. This cover plate is retained in closed position by' a rplurality of ,springfpressed llatches 16 which maybe operated from the outside of the ,y cover plate..V These latches 16 are mounted inthe depending frame 15 and are normally pressed outwardly by coil springs 17 (Fig. and engage the underside of the iiange 13 surrounding the opening in the carrier. To provide for the operation of 4these latches from outside the cover a dependingsocket 18nis secured tothe underside of the cover at its center, provided with a plate 19 atgits bottom having as many small openings as there are latches to be operated-there being siX latches inthe embodirnent illustrated. Inside the socket is a plunger 20, having connected thereto, at its upper side, a pull-chain 21,' lby which the latches 16 are withdrawn, and which also serves as ahandle toyremove the cover plate the top closed ofthe present invention, but is set be described.

12 and as a means to hold the latches in their withdrawn position, as hereinafter described. The upper end of the socket is also closed except for an opening through which the chain 21 passes. In a depression 22 in the cover above-the socket 18 there isiixed a hook 23 which is adapted to be engaged-by the links 24 of the chain 21. The latches 16 are constantly urged outwardly into locking position by the coil springs 17. In order to' withdraw the latches from locking .position their inner ends are connected, by means of piano-wires 25 (Fig. 7.),'t`o the plunger 20, the wires being guided by sections of small pipe.26 secured in the frame 15 and the bottom 'plate'of the socket 18. 'A pull'on the chain 21 serves to draw the plunger 20 upwardly in the socket, thus-pulling on the piano .wire 25 connected to the plunger at one end and to the latches at the opposite end. 'Thei latches locked position by engaging one of the intermediate links of the chain with hook 23, and when .the coveris locked the end link of the chain is engaged with said hook 23. The plungerr20 and the socket 18 in which it moves may be provided with suitable packing to prevent the entrance of dust and water. I .Y f

In order conveniently to permit the cargo carrier to move on the track and into the fuselage, the carrier is providedon its sides and at diametrical points with laterally extending'wings 27, these wings being adapted to. engage andmove on the rails 7 of the track, while .the body of the carrier lies between theV rails. The wings 27 are Fdetachably connected 'with the shell of' the carrier for reasons hereinafter stated. The structure and arrangement the wings is shown in Figs.` 3` to 6. Both Vwings have the same construction and are connected in the same way to the shell, and therefore but one will The shell is provided along its side with a plurality of v,outwardly opening sockets 28, rectangular in cross-section, to7 receive tenons projecting from the wings Each wing is. formed ofal substantially flat upper plate 30, a curved vlower plate 31, a plate 32 connecting the outer edges of the plates 30 and 31, and an inner plate 33 connecting the inner edges of the same, the inner plate.` being slightly curved` to closely fit Athe contour .of the body of the carrier. Between the upper and lower plates 30 and 31 and connecting them together are a plurality of ribs 34. These ribs 34 are extended beyond the inner edges of the wings to form tenons 35,'whichenter the sockets-28 in the sides of the shell. The tenons are detachably held inthefl sockets 28 in any suitable way, but inthe embodiment shown, the walls of the sockets 28 and the gtenons 35 are -provided with registering apertures 36 (Fig. 6)

16 may be held in unthrough which passes a rod 37, having an eye 38 at its end seated in an aperture 39 in the shell of the carrier, the eye serving as a convenient means for withdrawing the rod. The rod is held, detachably, in any suitable way, but as shown in the drawings, it is held by frictional engagement with the sockets and tenons and a series of tubular members 40 fixed in the shell in alinement with the apertures 36. By engaging the eye38 with any suitable instrument the rod may be withdrawn, whereupon, by pulling Athe wing laterallyy outward thel tenons will oted to the outer edge of the wing about i midway its ends, as indicated at 42. Integral with the arm 41, but on the opposite side of the pivot 42, is a short arm 43, preferably arranged toride upon and be supported by a track 44 connected tothe wing. To hold the arm normally projected from the wing, a spring 45 is suitably connected at one end, as at 46, to one of the ribs 34 of the wing, its other end being flexibly connected by end of the short arm 43, as indicated at 48. A pocket 49, formed in the outer edge of the wing, receives the arm 41 when it is forced into the folded position..v The arm'is slightlyl curved to conform pocket 49 in which it rests, and its lower surface is substantially flush with the lower surface of the lower wingplate 31. When Vthe arm is folded into this pocket it is desirable to retain it there 1n opposition to the pull of the spring 45 tending to project it outwardly, for which purpose a springpressed latch 50- (Figs. 5 and 8) is set into the top of the wing in position to engage a recess 51 in the outer end of the short arm 43 when the arm 41 rests in the pocket 49. A vring 52 serves asv a handle vto `withdraw the latch from lockingposition'. p Y

As above stated, the carrier is, in'general, egg-shaped. Morespeciically stated', as illustrated in the drawings, the ends of the carrier, each have a substantially spherical surface, one larger than the other, these ends being connected Yby a cylindrical surface flattened in one dimension, the elements of the surface, at diametrical points 90 from the lwings, converging, as indicated in Fig. 4, Yand .the elements of the surface at right angles thereto, i. e., at the points of connection with the wings, being parallel, as shown normally extending beyond means'of a wire 47 to thel inner i to the shape of the Y in Fig. 5. In the smaller end of the carrior a recess 53 is formed, across which extends a bar 54, which serves as a means of attachment for a hook or the like (not shown) for the purpose of handling it after it enters the fuselage. At the junction of the cylindrical surface and spherical sur-l face forming the smaller end of the carrier and at o from the wings, wedge-shaped lugs 55 (Figs. 3 and 4) are provided for a purpose hereinafter explained.

While we have described a single continuous wing on each side of the carrier as a preferred embodiment, it is obvious that the wing might consist of a plurality of separate sections on opposite sides of a vertical transverse plane passing through the center of mass of the carrier.

The cargo carrier described must be supported at some distance above the ground for engagement by the aircraft. This may be done in various ways, but a suitable way is illustrated generally in Figs. 1 and 2. According to this method, four standards 56 are provided, each having a rounded lower end seated in a base member to retain it in upstanding position while permitting the upper end freedom of movement in all directions. The upper end of each standard is provided with a shallow notch 57. The opposed arms 41 of the cargo carrier rest in the notches 57 of adjacent standards, and the forward end of the carrier rests on a curved plate 58 whose ends are supported by the forward pair of standards 56. In the act of engagement of the rails 7 of the aircraft with the cargo carrier, the standards are readily pushed aside, thus releasing the carrier to the aircraft. The support for the carrier just described in general terms forms no part of this application. The forward motion of the aircraft combined with the inertia of the cargo carrier causes the latter to ride up the rails 7 through the trap door 4, but should its momentum be only suilicient to carry it partly through the trap door it will be retained there, the lugs 55 being brought into engagement with the edges of the trap door, all as described in our parent application.

While we have illustrated but one embodiment of our invention, it is obvious that the principal features may be embodied in many different forms. It istherefore to be understood that our invention comprehends all substitutions, changes, and modifications within the principles disclosed and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell having a detachable cover plate, and elongated wing members extended from the shell at substantially diametrical points.

2SAM/r `carrier :afdasptedto be lont-led into aircra while latter is in motion comp-isingia light, :hollow shell Shaving a detachable 'cover plate, and elongated wing membersiextended from the` shell at substantiallydiametricsfl points and detachably secured thereto. 1

3. Ay cargo carrier adapted tol befloade'd into' aircraft while the latter isinmotion comprising a Elight, hollow shell lhaving a detachable 'cover plate, members -extended from the shell fait substantially 'dia-I metrical points, and foldable supporting arms carriedby the'wilng members. V4.2 A cargocam'ier adapted to beloaded intoaircraft wYh-ile the latter is in motion comprising a light, ilhollow shell havin'gra dfasaehablev cover plate, 'wi-ng members extended the shell at substantially diametrical points and comprising upper :sind lower "plates, a, supportingV r`arm lpivotallly mounted intermediate its Aends between the outer edges of leadrpair of plates, a `spring connected to each wingl and tothe inner end of each supporting arm, and a pocket formed between pair of plates to receive the outer ends of the supporting arms when the same are collapsed.

5. A car o carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell, wing members extended froln the shell at substantially diametrical points, and yielding arms secured to and extended from the outer edges of said wings.

6. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell, wing members extended from the shell at substantially diametrical points, and arms pivotally secured to said wing members and extending outwardly therefrom. Y

7. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell, wing mem` bers extended from the shell at substantially diametrical points, arms pivotally secured to said wing members and extending outwardly therefrom, and spring means tending constantly to force said arms into their extended position.

8. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell, wing members extended from the shell at substantially diametrical points, foldable supporting arms carried by the wing members, and means for holding the arms in folded position.

9. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter isin motion comprising a light hollow shell, sockets in the sides of said shell at substantially diametrically opposed points, wing members provided with tenons adapted to enter said 130,

lilo

s'ocketS, and detachable means for securing the tenons in said sockets.

r 10. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell and wings secured to said shell at Substantially diametrical points, the lower facesof said wings being curved.

- 11. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded intoaircraftwwhile the latter is in motion comprising` a light, hollow shell, and lugs projecting from the outer surface of the Y shell adjacent one end thereof and adapted to engage a part of the aircraft.

12. A cargo carrier adapted to be loaded into aircraft while the latter is in motion comprising a light, hollow shell, and means` projecting laterally therefrom at substanf tially diametrical points and adapted t0 support the carrier on opposite sides of a vertical transverse plane passing through its'center of mass.

"Signed by us this 21st day of October,

1929; Y O. HUNTINGTON JACOBS.

ASA FLHARSHBARGER. 

